Technical Field of Invention
The embodiments herein generally relate to diaphragms and particularly to artificial thoracic diaphragms for use in conditions such as diaphragmatic paralysis. The embodiments herein more particularly relate to artificial diaphragm comprising intelligent nanomagnetic particles embedded in diaphragmatic plates.
Description of Related Art
Breathing action consist of ventilator pump, including chest wall muscles; diaphragms and accessory intercostal and extra thoracic muscles. Diaphragms are right and left dome-like musculo-tendinous structures at the floor of chest which separate abdomen from the thorax.
Lungs are suspended in the thorax under a negative pressure of −5 cm of water. Normally during inspiration, diaphragms contracture makes domes move downward and get flat form, so increases the vertical volume of the thorax by about 20%, and contracture of the external intercostals muscles increases anterior or sternum to spine volume as well. With normal atmospheric pressure, this condition makes intrathoracic more negative pressure to −7.5 cm. So lungs expand and air flows inward and gas exchange between oxygen and carbon dioxide can take place in the alveoli. Inspiration costs minimum work and minimum metabolic energy. Whereas expiration phase is passive and elastic property makes chest wall relax and diaphragms go back to their main dome shape and air gets out of lungs, spending no energy. Activity of inspiratory muscles especially diaphragms are vital for life.
The movement of the diaphragm must be effective in any situation at day-time, either at rest or any level of activity, by adapting itself with increasing ventilation needs like sport, exercise, stress and even disease conditions, and otherwise at sleep time it must be autonomic. So, ventilation is self-organized, means that it regulates itself to any situation. This auto-regulation is managed by respiratory centre in the brainstem, medulla oblongata and pons, which receive neural, chemical and hormonal signals to control the rate and depth of diaphragm movement via two right and left phrenic nerves, which origin from cervical C 3-4-5 motor nerve roots and run on front the scalene muscles through thorax and go down on the anterior wall of pericardium and finally innervate two hemi diaphragms.
Like any other striated muscle, respiratory muscles need energy of mitochondrial oxidation metabolism. During this pathway acetylcholine binds to nicotinic receptors and releases calcium to cytoplasm which activates the ATP-ase to convert ATP to ADP, and then shortening the myosin fibers of muscle makes contraction.
In conditions of diaphragm fatigue or dysfunction, there is a threat to the life of the individual. Hence there is a need for an extra push to move the diaphragm just a little for a regular breath. After couple of months, if dyspnea in patient doesn't improve and paralysis doesn't recover, some strategies can be advised to restore its deficit movement.
The oldest procedure is surgical plication of diaphragm which is suggested for unilateral paralysis. In this technique, thin diaphragm gets flat with no normal nerve or muscle function, but expanded lungs improve better mechanism. The other technique is specialized neck micro-surgery to rescue the compressed nerve or implant it, if vital forces of nerve or diaphragm have been preserved. The diaphragmatic pacing is indicated when phrenic nerve and diaphragm muscles are intact, e.g. central paralysis. Electrodes are implanted around the neck phrenic nerves and an external radio wave source generates signals. Pacing needs months to achieve a full effect by an atrophic diaphragm. But if after paralysis, diaphragms muscles undergo atrophy, pacemaker alone is not effective.
Hence there is a need to develop an artificial diaphragm having intelligent nanomagnetic particles for treatment of diaphragmatic paralysis. There is a need to develop an artificial diaphragm which mimics diaphragmatic movement which in turn increases the volume of the thorax vertically thus increasing lung volume and improving respiration.
The above-mentioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems are addressed herein, as detailed below.